


Fox and Rabbits

by Larxicana



Series: Linked Universe [6]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Family, Fluff, Happy, Humor, Time's appearance changes based on how he feels mentally, feel good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 22:56:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18433826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larxicana/pseuds/Larxicana
Summary: Time used to play in the Lost Woods a very long time ago, having grown up right next to them. However, even though many centuries have past since then, the forest never forgets one of its own.





	Fox and Rabbits

**Author's Note:**

> Written based off the Linked Universe created by Jojo on Tumblr! Ya'll need to check it out! It's so amazing and I love it.
> 
> Also I've had this head canon that Time's physical appearance changes based on how he's feeling mentally and I'm so excited I finally got to write something for it. Please Enjoy!

They stood at the entrance to a massive forest that was covered in a fog with faint music coming from somewhere inside. Wild stood beside Time with his arms crossed, then looked up at him to sign, _Lost Woods._

“Ah,” Time nodded a little, “I understand. What’s the secret to getting through?” Wild grabbed the torch from his back and struck it against a nearby rock, lighting it in an instant. He held it up and pointed to the top, where the tip of the flames where waving. Time narrowed his eye at it, but saw that the flame was being pulled in a direction opposite to how the wind was blowing. “Alright. You lead the way. We’ll stay in close behind you.” Wild nodded and started forward into the misty woods.

Behind him the group glanced around, but didn’t dare to stray from the path. Once they were about halfway through, giggles could be heard around them, but when they looked, they couldn’t see anyone through the fog. “What is that?” Sky asked with big eyes.

Wild paused to look at him, _K-O-R-O-K-S._ He spelled out with his free hand.

Wind gasped, his eyes brightening, “Koroks?! I love Koroks!” The newest hero chuckled and nodded, then continued forward.

Time walked beside Wild, glancing around as they went. When he heard a giggle near him, he would turn to see if he could spot the source, but could never quite catch it. It did sound like they were getting closer, but it was hard to tell. The woods always liked to play tricks on those inside it. He looked to Wild, “How much farther?” Wild looked up at him and put his pointer finger and his thumb close together to show the distance. Not much farther. Time nodded and looked ahead of them at nothing but dark trees and fog.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, tiny creatures let out a cry as they fell from the trees and jumped from the tall grass, tackling Time to the ground with their combined force and weight. He took in a gasp as he went down in a flail of limbs. The others jumped back and grabbed for their weapons, but Wild quickly waved a hand at them. “Koroks!” Wind gushed, putting his hands to his cheeks.

Time blinked up at the tiny wooden creatures with different leaves over their faces, like masks. They giggled down at him. One stood on his chest and waved its little arms in the air, “You’re a spirit of the forest!” It said, “We can hear its song inside you!”

Another near his head leaned over to look down at him, throwing its hands in the air, “You should play with us!”

“Yeah play!”

“Play!”

“Come on!”

“Please?”

“Play with us, mister!”

Time’s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Carefully, he sat up and folded his arms under neath the ones on his chest so they wouldn’t fall off. The others gathered around him and cooed, waving their little hands. Time was shocked to see there had to be at least twenty of them. “I…” He looked down at the ones in his arms, “You want me to play with you?”

“Yeah!” One put its tiny hands on his chest, “We could play tag!”

“Or hide and seek!”

“Or fox and rabbit!”

Time gasped, “I remember that one.”

“Yay!” They all cheered, waving their little hands in the air. “We’ll play fox and rabbit! You be the fox!”

The hero watched as a few of the Korok hopped off him and started to waddle into the grass with their arms in the air. A few others grabbed giant leaves that spun and took them back into the tree tops. Time put his hands on the ground and watched them go, crying things like “Run!” And “Don’t let him catch you!” A few of the Koroks left produced a little headband made of vines, sticks, and leaves that were shaped like fox ears. One jumped up and put it on Time’s head then they quickly waddled away as they giggled. Time put a hand on the headband, watching them disappear into the grass, then slowly started to smile. He could feel a childlike joy raise in his chest, remember all the times he used to play this game back in Koriki Village with Sara and Mido. He remember Mido being the leader of the rabbit team and declaring that he wouldn’t be eating any of them tonight. Time, as the fox, would puff out his chest and tell him that he was going to catch all of them and make stew out of them, which earned a cry of ‘no’ in return. He remembered stalking the wood for his friends on his hands and knees, like he was a real fox, looking hide and low until he found them huddled behind a rock. They would squeal and laugh and scatter, and he would chase after them, tackling them into the grass. Once he caught them, he would take their rabbit headbands to signify that they had been eaten. He had always been too shy to tackle Sara and would get all red faced when she giggled at him. Thankfully she took pity and handed him her headband when he tagged her. Mido was always the last rabbit left and always the toughest to get. He was quick and clever, so he had to be quicker. Once he hid in a tree and watched as Mido walked around the forest cautiously, then with a yell, he swung down on a vine and tackled him to the ground. They went rolling, one over the other, until the landed right in a mud puddle. Mido would squeal about the mud, but Time would just snatch up his headband and laugh, holding it up victoriously as he grinned down at him. He had felt so carefree, so light, so _happy…_

Without even realizing it, his physical appears had shifted, reacting to his giddy feelings and childhood memories. Where before he sat in full armor and gear, he was now in a tiny green tunic, a brown belt, a long cap, and baggy boots. His face rounded out with rosy cheeks and his scar vanished, allowing two bright, blue eyes to scan the forest. The other heroes in his group gasped, because it was incredibly rare for Time to feel so happy that he reverted to a child again. He quickly pushed himself up and adjusted the headband on his head. “I’m coming for you!” Time called out, earning a fit of squeals and giggles from the surrounding forest. “And I’m super hungry!”

“No don’t eat us!”

“Noooo!”

“Run quick!”

Time giggled and turned to dash into the long gras in the direction he thought he hear the Koroks cry. Sky gasped and darted after him, but Wild grabbed his arm, shaking his head. Twilight put a hand on his shoulder, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You step foot off this path, and you’ll be as good as gone.”

“But what about Time?” Sky asked, looking at them with big eyes.

“He’ll be fine.” Twilight told him, “If there’s anyone who _can’t_ get lost in these woods, it’d be him.” He looked to Wild, “I think we should keep going.” The younger hero nodded and held up his torch. He watched the flames for a moment, then started moving again. Sky lingered, staring into the distance where Time had disappeared, but reluctantly followed.

After a while they reached a valley cut between two high rock walls. Wild smiled and waved out his torch to put it on his back again, leading them through until the fog cleared. The group murmured in wonder at the sight, then gawked up at the massive tree in front of them. Sitting on one of its roots was Time, still wearing his headband. He was talking to the three, waving his hands, his eyes big with wonder. “Time!” A few in the group called, hurrying over to him. The little boy looked down at them and gasped, then crawled down from the root to run over to them. He grabbed onto Wild’s tunic and smiled at him, then did the same to Twilight. Sky knelt beside him, “How did you find your way here? You didn’t get lost?” He asked.

Time shook his head, “Mm mm! I grew up playing in the Lost Woods. Even if this isn’t my world, the woods are still the same.”

A deep, rumbling chuckle came echoed around them, causing a few to tense, then startled when they realized the sound came from the large tree in front of them. “Once a child of the forest, always a child of the forest.” It said fondly, smiling down at them. “My, look at all of you. So many familiar faces I haven’t seen in a very long time.”

Warriors narrowed his eyes up at him, “Is that… is that The Great Deku Tree?”

“Papa!” Time turned to look up at it, “Papa look!” He turned back to grab Twilight and Wild’s wrists to pull them forward, causing them to stumble after him. He lifted their wrists above his head, which was about waist high for the other two. “These are my boys! Look!” Twilight’s face turned pink as he cleared his throat into his fist, causing Wild grinned over at him and snickered.

The Great Deku Tree chuckled, “Yes I see them. I’ve watched them grow up into very fine young men. You should be very proud.”

“I am!” Time dropped the others’ wrists to put his hands on his hips, puffing up his chest proudly. Twilight put his hands over his face in embarrassment.

Sky smiled and leaned over to Legend to whisper, “He’s so cute when he’s little.”

Legend crossed his arms, “Yeah, hard to remember sometimes that he’s the same guy who gives us the look and barks orders like a drill sergeant.”

Time turned back to look at the others, “Do you guys wanna play fox and rabbit?”

The group glanced around at each other in uncertainty, but when they looked back, Time’s eyes were huge, like a pleading puppy. Around him had gathered at least thirty Koroks that looked up at them with the same pleading look. One was laying on Time’s head. “Oh that’s not fair.” Warrior mumbled.

“Great!”

“No wait-…”

“You gotta wear these!” A Korok sang as it passed out headbands with rabbit hears on them.

“Except Twilight,” Time grabbed his hand with both of his and grinned up at him, “because…” Twilight blinked down at him, then gasped when he understood. He reached into his tunic and pulled out his Shard of Twilight to wrap his fingers around, causing his form changed from Hylian to wolf. “Yes!” Time climbed onto his back and smirked at the others, a determined, danger glimmer coming to his eyes. “We are the foxes and you guys are the rabbits.”

Legend’s eyes widened, “Wait that’s so not fair!”

“You better start running!” The Koroks quickly disappeared into the brush and the trees. Wild took off in a flash, jumping over roots and tree branches to disappear into the forest in a matter of seconds. The others were left staring after him then looked back to Time. “I said run!” He barked. Twilight snarled at them and bared some fang. They let out a squeal of terror and scattered in all different directions. Time grinned, “You know, I’ve never lost a game of fox and rabbits when I was a fox.” He told Twilight, causing the other to glance back at him. “Let’s make sure it stays that way.” The wolf let out an affirming sound then dashed off into the forest after the others.


End file.
